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The Best Brisbane Festival 2026 Events
Brisbane Festival 2026 returns this year with a bumper program of events, and we’re ever so ready for it! Celebrating the lifestyle, persona and energy of our river city, this highly anticipated event brings an enormous calendar of performances, art and cultural events back to our doorsteps.
Brisbane Festival returns from 4 to 26 September 2026, opening with the Riverfire fireworks over the Brisbane River and running nightly with the free Bright Nights by ANZ water and light show at South Bank. Touring highlights include West End hit The Choir of Man and puppetry odyssey Dead as a Dodo, while QAGOMA hosts the Brisbane-exclusive ‘Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company’. These are the events our Sitchu Editors are most looking forward to.
Free Brisbane Festival 2026 Events
Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust
Brisbane Festival wouldn’t be complete without the annual Riverfire headliner event. Featuring an evening of food specials, fireworks and entertainment, this colourful display is an annual city highlight. This fireworks’ extravaganza can be enjoyed from multiple viewpoints around the city, with riverside viewing recommended.
Where: Brisbane River
When: Saturday 5 September 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Kids, Families, Free events, Outdoor activities
Bright Nights by ANZ
This mesmerising visual display will be taking place each night of the festival, celebrating the heart of the city itself — the river. Let yourself be serenaded by The Veronicas soundtrack, whilst choreographed displays of water, lights and sounds transform the river. With water jets shooting up to 80 metres high, Bright Nights by ANZ can be viewed from either side of the river.
Where: South Bank
When: Three shows nightly throughout the festival, Friday 4 September to Saturday 26 September, 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Families, Kids, Free events, Outdoor activities
Best Brisbane Festival Shows and Performances 2026
ESCAPE
Blending dance, stunt work, acrobatics and circus art, ESCAPE defies categorisation. Themes of danger, fear, resilience and survival are explored via moving architectural structures and the bodies of the performers themselves.
Where: QPAC, South Brisbane
When: Wednesday 23 September to Sunday 27 September 2026
Cost: From $65.90
Best For: Festival season, Theatre lovers, Unique experiences
Attenborough’s Ocean in Concert
Everyone’s favourite centenarian is heading to Brissy in voiceover form. Queensland’s chamber orchestra will be in charge of the soundtrack, whilst spectacular imagery and magical cinematography mesmerise eyes from the big screen. An exploration of the world’s most precious resource, this uplifting film is a tale of hope and recovery.
Where: QPAC, South Brisbane
When: Thursday 17 September 2026
Cost: From $79.90
Best For: Families, Live music, Film lovers
Dead as a Dodo
Calling all curious minds. Already proving popular with ticket sales, Dead as a Dodo is touching down in Brissy as part of its world tour. The musical/puppetry odyssey explores life and death via the story of friendship between a boy and Dodo living in the underworld. Told with humour and talent, this unique performance is anything but bleak.
Where: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
When: Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2026
Cost: From $59.90
Best For: Theatre lovers, Unique experiences, Festival season
The Choir of Man
If you’re looking for an upbeat night, this Olivier Award-nominated show is quite the scene. Straight from London’s West End, The Choir of Man delivers 75 minutes of pure joy-inducing poetry, tap dance and song. Watch on as nine men take on some of the world’s most treasured hits from Sia to Katy Perry, Avicii to Guns ‘n’ Roses.
Where: Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, South Bank
When: Thursday 3 September to Saturday 26 September 2026
Cost: From $74.90
Best For: Dance lovers, Live music, Festival season
Brisbane Festival Exhibitions and Experiences 2026
Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company
Exclusive to Brisbane, ‘Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company‘ offers fans a chance to dive into the creative process of this legendary creator of character. The immersive exhibition takes visitors on a journey from early puppetry to animatronic innovation, through clips, original drawings, practical puppets and more. Expect all of your favourite characters from the worlds of Sesame Street and the Dark Crystal to Labyrinth and Fraggle Rock.
Where: QAGOMA, South Bank
When: Saturday 12 September 2026 to Sunday 18 April 2027
Cost: From $18
Best For: Families, Kids, Film lovers, Weekend plans
DAYBREAKER
Fancy starting your day a little differently? DAYBREAKER, a global, alcohol-free dance party, will be making its way to Brisbane’s shores for a day of yoga, fitness, dance and DJs. Encouraging sober fun and intuitive movement, this dance party with a difference is set to be a festival highlight.
Where: Festival Village, South Bank
When: Saturday 12 September 2026
Cost: From $35
Best For: Outdoor activities, Dance lovers, Wellness seekers, Unique experiences
FAQs About the Best Brisbane Festival Events
Brisbane Festival 2026 runs throughout September, kicking off with the iconic Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust on 5th September. In a shake-up from previous years, Riverfire now marks the opening of the festival rather than its grand finale. From there, the city comes alive with almost a month of performances, exhibitions and events, with the majority of the program wrapping up on Saturday 26 September. Some events extend well beyond, with the Jim Henson Company exhibition at QAGOMA running all the way through to Sunday 18 April 2027.
Absolutely! Two of the festival’s biggest highlights won’t cost you a cent. Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust lights up the Brisbane River with a spectacular fireworks display on 5th September, best enjoyed from riverside viewpoints around the city. Then there’s Bright Nights by ANZ, a mesmerising display of choreographed water jets, lights and sound set to a soundtrack by The Veronicas. With three shows nightly from 4 to 26 September and water jets shooting up to 80 metres high, it’s visible from either side of the river.
Families are spoilt for choice this year. Riverfire and Bright Nights by ANZ are both free, outdoor spectacles that kids will adore, while Attenborough’s Ocean in Concert at QPAC pairs stunning cinematography with a live score from Queensland’s chamber orchestra. For something truly special, head to QAGOMA for ‘Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company’, an immersive exhibition featuring beloved characters from Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. With tickets from just $18, it’s a budget-friendly day out too.
Theatre lovers have plenty to look forward to. ESCAPE at QPAC (23–27 September) blends dance, stunt work, acrobatics and circus art into a genre-defying performance exploring danger, fear and survival. Over at Brisbane Powerhouse, Dead as a Dodo (23–26 September) tells a surprisingly uplifting tale of friendship between a boy and a Dodo in the underworld through musical puppetry. And straight from London’s West End, the Olivier Award-nominated The Choir of Man delivers 75 minutes of song, tap dance and poetry at South Bank throughout the festival.
Brisbane Festival events are dotted across the city’s cultural precincts, with South Bank serving as a major hub. You’ll find Bright Nights by ANZ, DAYBREAKER and The Choir of Man all taking place there. QPAC hosts headline performances including ESCAPE and Attenborough’s Ocean in Concert, while Brisbane Powerhouse presents Dead as a Dodo. QAGOMA is home to the exclusive Jim Henson Company exhibition, and of course, the Brisbane River itself takes centre stage for Riverfire. Most venues are within easy reach of the CBD.
Ticket prices vary depending on the event, but there’s something for every budget. Free events include Riverfire and the nightly Bright Nights by ANZ displays. At the affordable end, entry to the Jim Henson Company exhibition starts from $18, while DAYBREAKER’s alcohol-free morning dance party starts from $35. Theatre and performance tickets sit a little higher, with Dead as a Dodo from $59.90, ESCAPE from $65.90, The Choir of Man from $74.90 and Attenborough’s Ocean in Concert from $79.90. Booking early is recommended, as popular shows are already selling fast.
If you’re looking for more of Brisbane’s best events, scroll through our monthly event guide to discover what else is happening across the city. If you’re looking for more free things to do in Brisbane, we’ve plenty of fun ways to enjoy the city without spending a dime.
